Committee advances 'Better Georgia Without Blight Act' to help cities, counties rehab abandoned properties

A State Planning & Community Affairs committee meeting advanced HP753, the Better Georgia Without Blight Act, after a voice vote that produced no recorded opposition. Representative Berry, who introduced the measure, said the bill would let the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) provide technical and funding assistance to cities and counties that identify blighted properties and move them toward rehabilitation and affordable housing.

Representative Berry cited state law and data to explain the bill's purpose. “According to OCGA in chapter 8, section 4, subsection 8 ... there are over 582,000 blighted properties in the state of Georgia,” he said, and he referenced the National Low Income Housing Coalition's estimate that the figure represents about 15% of properties in the state. Berry said the bill would give local governments state-supported tools and allow DCA to apply for outside…